Visions of Mana Preview: Reinvigorating the Mana Universe

Heading into the Visions of Mana preview, I thought about how the Mana series has had plenty of highs and lows regarding game releases. Still, one thing has remained: It always has a more light-hearted journey at its core, especially compared to Square Enix’s other JRPG series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest ( Dragon Warrior if you’re nasty). Because of this, it always felt like the series was one step behind its more mature counterparts.

This is highlighted by the most recent new entries in the Dawn of Mana series, released in 2006. Due to its more family-friendly nature, something in it makes it hard to engage with in the long run. But, during my first few hours with the game, it’s clear that Visions of Mana wants to maintain its core of banding misfits together on a journey but add intrigue in a way we haven’t seen in a Mana game since its early days as a series.

At its core, Visions of Mana retains the action-oriented combat system that fans of the genre will recognize and appreciate. The combat is fast-paced and intuitive, allowing players to execute various attacks and magical abilities with fluidity. The ability to change classes as the team unlocks new elementals brings a fresh new spin on ability swapping. Each class is also distinct to each character, usually surmising around their character traits, i.e., Val takes the role of the guard, so each class of his focuses on strength or defence. At the same time, Mortrea leans into his roguish abilities, focusing on speed and stamina.

“ Visions of Mana retains the action-oriented combat system that fans of the genre will recognize and appreciate.”

Visually, Visions of Mana is a treat for the eyes. The game combines nostalgic pixel art with modern 3D elements, creating a distinct and captivating aesthetic. Character designs and environments are rendered with vibrant colours and smooth animations, making for an engaging visual experience. Complementing the visuals is a meticulously crafted soundtrack that blends orchestral and folk elements, setting the tone for each moment of the journey.

During the early preview hours, we get a good sense of where the story is heading and some really great intrigue. It seems to take what made the older releases in the Mana series , like Secret of Mana, and add a new spin. While it does maintain that band of misfits with a lighthearted appeal, it also thrones in some darker tones that promise to upset the balance. But that’s not to say everything was perfect in the opening hours of Visions of Mana.

While the open areas of Visions of Mana were a visual splendour, there were times when they felt overly big, with not enough to fill them besides the odd side quests or treasure chests that only once amounted to more than a small amount of money. It is a shame because the environments look incredible; I just wish there was more to do with them.

The other, more minor issue I ran into was the overabundance of money. There was never a time when I felt constrained by the amount of lucre (money in the Visions of Mana world) I carried. I was within two hours, walking around with almost $20,000. This meant it was never a difficult choice whenever new items, armour, or weapons appeared in stores. This takes away a certain level of strategy that comes with action RPGs.

Overall, Visions of Mana has had a promising start, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into it with a fun, intuitive, and fluid combat system and gorgeous visuals. I am worried about how well it can flesh out the open areas and if it can hold the intrigue, but only time will tell.